A Guide to the World of EV Charging Port Types

In a perfect world, every EV would use the same type of charger in every situation, much like you use the same gas pump for every ICE vehicle. But much like there are USB-C cables for Android phones and Lightning cables for Apple phones, EV operators have several charging port options, and they must know which they’re using so they don’t waste time and money on the wrong equipment.

The four main EV charging ports for US EV owners are NACS, CSS, CHAdeMO, and J1772. Which ones you’ll encounter depends on who made the vehicle and what charging level you’re working with. Whether you already own an EV or want to buy your first, use this guide to select the best charger(s) for your needs.

AC vs DC Charging

Before anything else, it’s important to know there are two main EV charging methods. DC, or direct current, is the Level 3 “fast charging” method found at over 12,000 public charging stations and counting (about 20% of the total). Since the EV battery stores its energy as DC, the current from a DC charging connector can flow directly into the battery.

AC, or alternating current, is used in Level 2 charging. Although AC power is ideal for many applications because of its efficient power distribution and low power loss, it does not flow as quickly as DC and must be converted to use in an EV. These connectors are found at all public charging stations and with 240V home systems. Level 1 AC slow charging utilizes a 120V household outlet but plugs into the same charging port on an EV.

NACS

Known technically as the J3400 port, the North American Charging Standard (NACS) is an AC/DC charging connector created by Tesla. It’s found on Tesla EVs in all markets except the European Union, which mandates CCS DC charging. In November 2022, Tesla made the NACS design available for other automakers to license, giving non-Teslas access to their extensive Supercharger network. The NACS plug has a single head with two large connecting pins on the top and three smaller ones on the bottom.

Pros of NACS Charging:

As a fast charger with a maximum rate of 250 kW, NACS is great for traveling.
By getting an adapter, you can charge NACS vehicles at CCS and CHAdeMO stations, making pretty much every public fast charging station usable.
Certain new vehicles from automakers like Ford, GM, Honda, Volvo, Nissan, and Mercedes-Benz now have NACS and CCS ports, meaning an adapter isn’t necessary.
Since an NACS connector is smaller and has fewer pins than a CCS connector, it is lighter and easier to plug in. They’re also easier for stations to install, which can lower buyers’ rates.
The NACS is a hybrid port that directly connects to compatible Level 3 or Level 2 chargers.
As mentioned, it can be used for fast charging everywhere except the EU.

Cons of NACS Charging:

A NACS charger is not as fast as a CCS or CHAdeMO charger, so you must wait longer to charge the battery.
Tesla NACS charging stations are nowhere near as widespread as non-Tesla charging stations, so your fast charging options are more limited if you don’t have dual ports or an adapter.

CCS

Most North American EVs that don’t have NACS DC charging use the Combined Charging System CCS instead, which was created by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association and is also AC/DC. In North America, it’s known specifically as CCS Type 1 or CCS1. The EU has CC2 (CCS Type 2) with a different AC port design. CCS1 ports have two separate heads. The circular AC top head has three medium-size pins and two small ones for Level 2 charging. The oval DC bottom head has two large holes for Level 3 charging.

Pros of CCS Charging:

With a maximum power transfer rate of 350 kW, it’s approximately 40% faster than NACS, which is great for frequent travelers and those who can’t afford long stops (such as traveling for work).
CCS-compatible charging stations like Electrify America and EVgo are more plentiful in the US than Tesla stations. According to Statista, as of April 2024, there were 7,315 CCS charging stations and only 2,280 NACS charging stations.
Like NACS, the plug is designed to connect directly to compatible Level 2 and 3 chargers.
The fast-charging portion of the plug can be used in all EU countries for traveling abroad.

Cons of CCS Charging:

Unlike NACS-to-CCS, no adapters are available to connect a CCS vehicle to an NACS or CHAdeMO charger.
The faster charging rate also poses a higher risk of overheating and damaging the battery cells, especially in older vehicles.
When using the CCS plug with a Level 2 charger, you only connect half the plug (more on this later), which can be confusing.
The CCS1 system is only available in the US.

CHAdeMO

The third DC charging option is CHAdeMO, which is a portmanteau of “Charge de Move.” As the first common fast charging method, it was created in 2010 in a partnership between the Tokyo Electric Power Company and several Japanese vehicle manufacturers. The small circular plug has two large solo pins and two pins with several smaller sub-connectors. Although CHAdeMO is the Japanese EV fast-charging standard and was once common on US vehicles, it has largely been driven out by NACS and CCS. As I write this, the Nissan LEAF EV and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV are the only North American vehicles still in production with CHAdeMO ports.

Pros of CHAdeMO Charging:

Second-gen CHAdeMO chargers are the fastest available, with a rate of up to 400 kW.
CHAdeMO charging is considered more reliable and costs less than CCS or NACS.
More than 5,000 charging stations nationwide offer CHAdeMO, so you shouldn’t have much difficulty finding one while traveling.

Cons of CHAdeMO Charging:

Although plenty of used EVs made by Japanese automakers have CHAdeMO chargers, it’s basically a dead technology on new US vehicles, so the number of stations and adapters is likely to fall considerably in the coming years.
Vehicles with CHAdeMO cannot be plugged in at CCS or NACS stations.
It is also incompatible with Level 2 AC chargers, limiting your charging options.

J1772

Unlike the trio of Level 3 charging ports, SAE J1772 is as close as you can get to a universal US Level 2 charging standard. All non-Tesla products use these plugs in North America and Japan, and with the right adapter, they can be connected to Tesla Level 2 chargers. The J1772 port is just the top circular portion of the CCS1 plug with five pins.

Pros of J1772 Charging:

It’s ideal for home chargers where you plug in overnight and let the battery replenish.
Long-term, Level 2 charging is healthier for EV batteries, as they are unlikely to cause overheating.
J1772 ports are known for being reliable, and they can be connected to most EVs with easy plug-and-play.
Since more than 50,000 public charging stations, nearly 80%, only offer Level 2 charging, you’ll have almost no trouble finding a place to plug in.
J1772 also supports Level 1 charging. While slower than Level 2, you can charge your EV from any standard 120V outlet.
Smart charging is available to remotely manage your vehicle.

Cons of J1772 Charging:

These connectors only have a maximum power of 19.2 kW, meaning they take 13 times longer to charge a vehicle than NACS and 18.2 times longer than CCS. As such, they aren’t very useful when traveling or when you have limited time.
Although Japan uses J1772, Europe uses Mennekes Type 2, and China uses GB/T, which limits your options abroad.

Staying Charged in an Evolving EV World

Like many people, I’m hoping the EV charging connector situation will eventually whittle itself down to one or two main players, or at least per charging level, the same way Blu-Ray won out over HD DVD and VHS triumphed over Betamax. This would simplify things for buyers and offer more widespread compatibility so people don’t feel “tied down” to certain automakers and charging methods (or have to buy a bunch of adapters). Until that day comes, it’s important to know which connectors you need to get the most efficient charging based on what, how, when, and where you drive.